


My exception

by orphan_account



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alpha Merlin (Merlin), Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Dirty Talk, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mutual Pining, Omega Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Porn with Feelings, Roommates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-09
Updated: 2020-10-09
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:27:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26912131
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Just your typical ABO promptMerlin and Arthur are room-mates, secretely in love with each other too. The thing is everyone believes Arthur is a beta. After years of being on suppressants, Arthur's heat is inexplicably (not so inexplicably) triggered.Merlin's there to help.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 14
Kudos: 352





	My exception

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be pure, self-indulgent filth but fluff got in the way. There are way too few ABO fic in Merlin's fandom and I was bored hence, this happened.

Merlin always ran a bit hotter, being an alpha and all. Arthur knew that for sure since he had spent nearly every night in the past two years plastered to his side while watching movies on the sofa or -like last night - in the bed. Arthur must have dozed off at some point because he didn’t remember finishing the movie and his laptop, that had previously been perched on their legs was now forgotten in the dresser (where Merlin must have carried it), the white sleeping mode light blinking in regular intervals.

Not only had he dozed off, he had made Merlin his pillow, his cheek buried in Merlin’s chest with his arm thrown over his stomach, Merlin’s chin resting on top of his head. _Well, that had certainly never happened before._

Arthur suppressed the panic rising inside him at the realization he was basically _cuddling_ the alpha. The very alpha he had been in love with for a good part of those two years. The alpha who thought Arthur was a beta.

Ok, fine, so Merlin had always been a furnace. That didn’t explain while Arthur himself was burning in his skin.

With great remorse, he carefully extracted himself from Merlin’s relaxed embrace and promptly froze in horror.

Oh, shit. Oh, fuck! He was... he was... he was fucking _wet!_

No. Nonono, this couldn’t be happening. He’d been taking his suppressants and blockers with deadly precision for the past six years, he had never missed any. So this... this wasn’t possible! He couldn’t... he couldn’t...

“Arthur?” Merlin mumbled sleepily. Arthur snapped his head up, noticing that his eyes were still shut but he could see his nose twitch.

_Shit._

“Merlin,” he returned quietly, surprised at how breathless he sounded. One of Merlin’s beautiful blue eyes cracked open.

“You alright?” he slurred, his voice like gravel and fuck, it made Arthur leak. Arthur knew the moment Merlin smelled him because his nostrils literally flared and suddenly, he was wide awake, staring at Arthur like he’d never seen him before.

Oh, the irony.

“Arthur, are you--” he halted, choking on an inhale. “Arthur, what’s going on?”

Well, it wasn’t like he could deny the truth any longer, was it?

“I’m in heat,” he stated the obvious, the words making his face go aflame. Merlin’s mouth opened and closed a few times, confused and lost.

“But you’re not-- I thought you were-- You never said anything!” he squealed, pushing up onto his elbows.

“I’m sorry,” Arthur whimpered, blinking back tears. “This is not supposed to happen. I’m on suppressants, have been for years. I don’t know why they suddenly stopped working.”

“You’re missing the point!” Merlin snapped. “I’m not asking why you’re in heat, I’m asking why you never told me you’re an omega!”

Arthur opened his mouth to reply when a nasty cramp in his belly left him gasping for breath. Whimpering pitifully, he clutched a pillow to his stomach.

“Arthur!” Merlin’s hands were on him the next second, reluctant but soothing nonetheless. One of his hands slid around Arthur towards his lower back and started rubbing.

“Merlin,” he choked. “I need your help.”

“Anything,” Merlin said resolutely. “Just tell me what to do. Do you need me to fill up a tub for you? Or get you some water, you should definitely drink something, you’re burning.” He made to get up and leave the bed which was absolutely unacceptable. Arthur’s hand shot up, grasping his wrist with a bruising force.

“No, I don’t need that. I need you.”

“You have me,” Merlin said, oblivious and Arthur could only groan in frustration.

“No, you idiot! I mean I _need you,”_ he emphasized and God help him if Merlin didn’t get it this time. Judging but the way his eyes widened into comical proportions, he must have.

“No,” he shook his head softly, the single word filling Arthur with dread. “No, Arthur. I can’t. You don’t want this,” he kept shaking his head, as though he needed to convince himself too and slipped away from Arthur’s grasp, standing at the far side of the bed. And oh God, standing there like that, despite the dark, Arthur could see the outline of his cock, his _hard_ cock, pushing obscenely against the fabric of his pajamas.

A jolt of pain-pleasure shot through him and he felt slick run down the back of his thighs in response.

“Merlin, please,” he begged. “I need you.”

This time, it was Merlin’s time to whimper, standing there and looking lost.

“It’s the heat talking. You don’t actually want me, Arthur.”

“I do,” Arthur opposed. “I do want you. You have no idea how much I want you.”

“You’re delirious with pain and the-- uh-- urge to...” he stuttered, gesticulating wildly and in any other situation, Arthur would laugh.

“No shit! Yes, I’m in pain but I would still want you!”

“Please, don’t say that,” Merlin begged, squeezing his eyes shut. “Don’t say it if you don’t mean it.”

Arthur did his best to hold himself back from slamming his head repeatedly into nearest wall in desperation. Thank God he could barely move.

“I do mean it, you bumpkin! That’s what I’m trying to tell you! I do want you, I always have! My heat has nothing to do with it!”

“Arthur, you can’t--”

“Oh, for fucks sake,” he bristled, summoning all his strength to push up into sitting position. “Merlin, you dumb, good for nothing idiot. I’ve been in love with you for almost two years. So cut me some slack and believe me when I tell you that the heat has nothing to do with me wanting you to pound me into this very mattress!”

Rooted to the spot, Merlin could only gape in disbelief.

“You... you are...”

“In love with you, yes. Do you need me to send you an official letter?” he grumbled impatiently, his skin feeling like it was going to melt off him.

“You never-- I thought you liked girls,” Merlin reasoned weakly, his resolve shattering.

Arthur rolled his eyes. “I do like girls. And I like boys. And just so happen to love you.” He gave Merlin a small smile, then curled in on himself again with another painful cramp, whining quietly.

“Arthur!” Merlin panicked, climbing back on the bed on his knees, holding out a hand like he wanted to touch Arthur but didn’t know if he should.

Groaning internally, Arthur pulled Merlin’s hand to himself, making him cup his cheek in his palm. He sighed in relief as the touch of Merlin’s skin to his immediately cooled him down significantly. And finally, through the fog of pain, he could smell Merlin. His mouth watered at the alpha’s familiar scent, magnified by a thousand, his usual vanilla and cinnamon scent now more reminiscent of Christmas morning.

He felt even more slick leak out of his hole, so much that his drenched pajama bottoms were now sticking to his skin.

A growl echoed through the room and Arthur’s eyes shot up to land on Merlin’s, pupils blown black and taking over all the blue of his irises.

“Merlin,” he breathed like a prayer. “Please.”

That seemed to do it because Merlin was on him the very next second, growling some more while he pushed Arthur into the bed, climbing on top and stealing all the breath from him with a hungry kiss.

Arthur moaned into his mouth, latching onto Merlin’s hair and pulling him down, as close to him as possible. He spread his legs wide, allowing Merlin to slot in between, relishing the weight of the alpha pressing into him.

“Arthur,” Merlin murmured between kisses. “We need to... talk... about this.”

Arthur bit back a retort, choosing the path of least resistance instead.

“Later,” he promised. “We’ll talk later.”

“Arthur,” Merlin warned, biting his lip as their cocks pressed together, Arthur letting out a loud moan. “This is important.”

“Meeerlin,” Arthur whined, nearly losing his mind because they should have been naked right about this time. “We can talk later,” he insisted, covering Merlin’s mouth when he saw it open on an objection. “ _Later_. There will be plenty of time to talk when you have that knot of yours locked inside me.”

Merlin’s eyes darkened impossibly and Arthur had a fleeting though he might come just from the sight alone.

Suddenly, Merlin had a firm hold on Arthur’s wrist, pressing them to the mattress either side of his head.

“You have no idea what you just got yourself into,” Merlin whispered huskily, his voice the lowest Arthur had ever heard it and he latched his lips onto Arthur’s neck, right to his scent glad and sucking the skin with a force that sure would leave bruises for days to come.

Arthur arched into him, fighting Merlin’s hold and moaning like a whore when the alpha didn’t budge a hair. God, that was so fucking hot. Arthur knew that Merlin was no wilting flower. He looked lanky but was all lean muscle underneath but even so, Arthur was much larger than him, bulky and wide-shouldered, nothing what a typical omega should look like. Big enough for people to think he was an alpha himself before they got closer only to realize that wasn’t the case.

But despite that, he was no match to Merlin’s true alpha strength. He had a sudden realization that Merlin could hold him down and take him if he wanted to and Arthur would be helpless against him.

He bucked his hips into Merlin’s as the thought left him leaking and desperate. Merlin, of course, would never do that. He was the furthest thing from a conservative alpha, his demeanor too gentle and considerate, but God, was the image hot.

“Ugh, Arthur,” Merlin groaned as their groins ground together. “God, I want...”

“Yeah?” Arthur said, delirious with desire. “What do you want?”

“Everything,” Merlin confessed, sucking a bruise into his collarbone. “You have no idea what I want to do to you.”

Arthur moaned wantonly, grabbing Merlin’s ass and pulling him closer. “Tell me.”

Merlin abandoned Arthur’s collarbones in favor of his lips, kissing him possesively, then whispering against them. “I want to take you apart. With my hands and my tongue and my cock. Kiss and lick over every inch of you, map your whole body with mine. I want to eat you out until you’re a sobbing mess, until you beg for my cock. Fuck you so good you’re unable to speak, so good you can only scream my name when you come on my knot.”

Arthur trembled with unspeakable desire, knowing that if Merlin didn’t make good on his threats right this fucking second, he’s going to die on the spot.

“Off,” he demanded, tugging at Merlin’s shirt. “Take it off. Take everything off.”

“Such a bossy omega,” Merlin teased, tugging the shirt over his head. “Have no idea how to be docile, do you?”

In the back of his mind, Arthur knew that Merlin meant is as nothing more but an innocent jab at Arthur’s controlling streak, but he couldn’t help but feel ashamed.

“Arthur?” Merlin asked with concern, picking up straight away on Arthur’s shift in mood and definitely his scent.

“I’m sorry.”

“What?”

“I’m sorry that I’m not... like that. That I’m not what a real omega should be. I know I’m not as pretty either. I’m not small and delicate or cute. I know that I’m too difficult and demanding. I understand if you’d rather have a-”

“Arthur, what are you talking about?” Merlin asked in disbelief. “How can you not see?”

“See what?”

“How perfect you are,” he said with such a conviction it rendered Arthur speechless. “I love that you’re not submissive, that you are no push-over. I love that you speak your mind and ask for what you want. And you’re absolutely gorgeous, every inch of you. So beautiful with your golden hair and sharp jaw. I love that we can look each other in the eye when we talk, that you would give me a run for my money if you ever challenged me to a fight.” He runs his hand through Arthur’s hair, brushing a thumb at his temple. He gives him a sweet smile. “I love _you._ Just the way you are.”

Too far gone to form a coherent thought, let alone voice it, Arthur satisfied himself with throwing his arms over Merlin’s naked back and kissing the life out of him.

“Merlin,” he gasped. “I swear, if you don’t fuck me any time soon I’m going to lose my mind.”

Merlin chuckled at the dramatic tone. “You're forgetting your manners, Arthur. You didn’t say please.”

Arthur scowled, unimpressed. “Fuck you, Merlin.”

Merlin smirked evilly. “Only if you ask nicely.”

Arthur sealed his lips shut, glaring daggers at the alpha. It only fueled Merlin’s delight. “So stubborn,” he nosed along his neck, brushing his lips against the burning skin. “Ask me nicely, Arthur, and you can have anything you want.”

Against his better judgement, Arthur was helpless to refuse such an offer.

“Please,” he said, embarrassed.

“Yeah?”

“Come on!”

“Please, what, Arthur?”

“Please,” he repeated. “Alpha.” Merlin’s eyes flashed red and Arthur moaned in response. “Fuck me.”

Merlin released a shuddering breath, smiling ruefully. “You’ll be the death of me.” And he promptly got Arthur rid of his tee, nearly tearing it to shreds when it got stuck around his armpits. With eager hands, he grasped the waistband of Arthur’s bottoms, giving a little nudge for Arthur to lift his hips so he could pull them off swiftly. And then, Arthur was very much naked, spread underneath Merlin like an offering.

“You are so fucking beautiful, Arthur,” he praised, trailing his fingers reverently over Arthur’s chest and the flat of his stomach. “Stunning.”

Arthur’s cheeks burned at the compliment. “Shut up, Merlin.”

“It’s true,” he insisted, gliding over the jut of a hipbone, gasping as his gaze landed on Arthur’s straining cock. “Wow,” he breathed. “Definitely big for an omega.”

“I know,” Arthur said. “I’m sorry.”

“I love it,” was the last thing Arthur heard before his length got engulfed in a searing, wet heat.

“Merlin!” he yelped, grabbing at Merlin’s hair reflexively. God, he never knew alphas actually did that.

Merlin definitely did, judging by how skilled he was. He swallowed Arthur to the root in one go, then hollowed his cheeks and pulled back up, bobbing his head enthusiastically. He kept making these little humming noises whenever his tongue swept over the slit, tasting precome. Arthur worried he would come within the next ten seconds if Merlin kept that up.

“Merlin. Merlin, stop, I’m going to--”

Instead of retreating, Merlin just hummed around him again, the vibration sending Arthur right over the edge. He came with a hoarse cry, holding Merlin’s head down as his throat spasmed around him, sucking him dry.

He sank into the mattress, boneless and weak and, admittedly, much cooler than he had been before.

Merlin reemerged from between his legs, wiping a thumb over his lips and popping it in his mouth.

Arthur thought he might have a mini stroke.

“You,” he said, losing the train of thought.

Merlin smirked proudly. “Good?”

Arthur scowled. “You know bloody well.”

Merlin shrugged. “Ah, you know. Doesn’t hurt to check,” he teased and stepped off the bed to pull his bottoms down, his cock springing free, huge and red, with the first signs of the swelling knot at the base.

Arthur could only whimper. “Shit,” he exhaled. “You’re... real big.” _How the hell was that gonna fit?!_

Merlin looked down at himself, like he had forgotten the monster between his legs, then glanced at Arthur, unsure. “Is it too much?” he asked, nervous. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know. I thought I was just average, as far as alphas go.”

“Uh...” Arthur trailed off for a moment. “Maybe? I don’t know. I haven’t really--” And promptly shut up.

Merlin’s eyes budged out, mouth falling open. “Arthur,” he swallowed painfully. “Please, tell me you’ve been with an alpha before.”

And Arthur would laugh, because don’t alphas usually want to hear the opposite? Given the situation, he chose to remain serious.

“I have. Once.” He winced at the memory. “He... he was my.. first. Ever.” He looked up at Merlin, still standing by the foot of the bed and holding his breath. “It didn’t... go well. It was terrible, actually. So I’ve never... sought any other alphas again. I just stuck to betas, mostly.”

Merlin’s eyes softened at the confession, brows scrunching up. “Oh, Arthur,” he said softly, climbing back on the bed and over Arthur, dipping down to kiss him deeply. Arthur relaxed into the kiss, running his tongue over Merlin’s lips. “Arthur, we don’t have to--”

“No!” he shouted, pulling Merlin to him so he wouldn’t get any stupid ideas, like leaving. “I want to. I want to with you.”

Merlin exhaled shakily. “But you just said--”

“You’re different,” he insisted, holding his gaze. “You’re an exception.”

Finally, fucking finally, Merlin relented, covering Arthur’s body with his, kissing him some more.

“Arthur,” he hummed against his lips. “I’m going to make you feel so good.”

Arthur quaked at the promise. “Yeah. Yeah, let’s replace the memories, huh?”

“Definitely,” Merlin smiled. “Now. I want you on your hands and knees,” he says evenly and Arthur would like to take his time to process the sudden switch in the mood but he’ was too busy complying with Merlin’s request, turning over swiftly and nearly kicking Merlin in the nose.

“Eager boy,” Merlin commented playfully, sounding pleased. His large hands cupped Arthur’s butt-cheeks, stroking and massaging. “God, Arthur, you’re a mess.”

Arthur whimpered at the words, both from absolute mortification and the shock-wave of lust that shook him to his bones. Instead of replying, he arched his back, his upper body almost touching the mattress, his ass pushed back and up, on display. He heard Merlin moan behind him, low and throaty.

“You’re so fucking wet.”

“For you,” Arthur sobbed, pressing his cheek into the pillow. “Only for you.”

“Fuck,” Merlin swore. “You smell delicious. I wonder what you taste like.” And without a warning, he licked a long stripe over Arthur’s sopping wet hole, moaning at the taste. “Fuck yeah, even better.” And he continued driving Arthur mad. He licked at the excess slick running down the back of Arthur’s thighs, drinking him up, then followed the path back to his hole, sealed his lips around it and sucked.

Arthur let out a wordless shout, grabbing at the sheets, sobbing into the pillow. There was no way he could speak, he could barely breathe. Mortified, he registered there were tears running down his cheeks, and over the bridge of his nose. He was torn between asking Merlin to stop, because it was too much, and begging him to keep going until there was nothing left of him. In the end, he didn’t say either but Merlin made the decision for him, carrying on with turning Arthur into an incoherent mess. He kept licking and slurping around Arthur entrance, thumbs spreading his cheeks apart.

A while later, his mouth disappeared and there were fingers in its place, long and skillful, breaching Arthur and stretching his already gaping hole. His body swallowed Merlin’s fingers eagerly, wanting them in and deep.

“Fuck, Arthur,” Merlin cursed loudly. “You’re just sucking me right in.”

Arthur moaned in agreement, pushing back on Merlin’s fingers, rocking back and forth.

“God, such a slut for it.” Arthur burned with shame but kept leaking around the fingers regardless. And then, Merlin brushed against Arthur’s prostate.

“Ahhh, Merlin! Please!” he begged, rocking his hips faster, urging Merlin on.

“What is it, love? What do you want?” he taunted, digging harder into his prostate, making Arthur sob helplessly. “Do you want my cock?”

“Yes! Please. Please, Merlin.”

“Ask for it.”

Arthur’s brain was a mush, there was no point fighting to preserve his dignity.

“Please. Please, alpha, I want your cock. Want you to knot me.”

Merlin purred in response, slipping his fingers free and leaving Arthur gaping, clenching around nothing but air.

“Want me to fill up that pretty little hole of yours? Knot you and pump you full of my come?”

“Yes! Yesyesyes! Please! Please, alpha. Merlin...”

Merlin groaned loudly, draping himself over Arthur’s back, the head of his cock pressing against his hole. “Arthur,” he whispered softly, so vastly different to what he was like five seconds ago. “You will tell me if I’m hurting you, okay?”

At this point, Arthur would say yes to murder. He nodded furiously, arching his back even further. There was pressure as Merlin pushed forward slowly, stretching Arthur impossibly wide open. Then, as he thought it would be too much, the head popped in, earning a gasp from both and that was all it took for Merlin to snap and bury himself to the root, his hips flush with Arthur’s ass.

“God, Arthur. You feel incredible.”

Arthur shook with the intensity of the connection, clenching around Merlin on pure reflex.

“Merlin,” he said and pushed his ass back. Getting the memo, Merlin started moving fluidly, slow at first, then picking up the pace. He found Arthur’s prostate again from the get go, making Arthur bite on his fist to prevent himself from coming in one second flat.

He felt spread impossibly wide, Merlin’s cock filling him up perfectly and God, his knot wasn’t even in yet. He burned with both trepidation and anticipation. He couldn’t stop moaning in pleasure as Merlin kept hitting all the right spots, filling him up so good. His hands on Arthur’s hips were possessive, griping him with bruising force and occasionally stroking over his flanks, such a stark contrast to each other.

His noises must have urged Merlin on because it wasn’t long before he was snapping his hips erratically, the slapping noises obscene as they echoed in the room but somehow it made everything so much hotter.

Arthur spread his legs wider, as much as he could in the position, and just took whatever Merlin gave him.

Merlin growled at the display of submission, giving a few more measured, hard thrusts before pulling out suddenly, making Arthur cry out at the emptiness, but it was short-lived as Merlin flipped him onto his back, grabbed him by the back of his knees and spread him wide, pushing his legs against his chest and sliding his cock back in.

Arthur moaned in relief as he was filled again, throwing his head back in ecstasy at the new angle.

“Fuck, Arthur. If you could see yourself right now,” Merlin praised, pressing his legs so far it lifted his lower back off the bed. His cock was dragging deliciously at Arthur’s hole, igniting every nerve ending on fire. “You’re positively sinful. The way you swallow my cock so eagerly. God, you’re perfect.”

Arthur could feel the beginnings of the knot at his hole, the pressure increasing with every snap of Merlin’s hips.

“Knot me,” he demanded. “Please, Merlin. Just knot me.”

“Yeah,” he agreed breathlessly, increasing his tempo, barely pulling out before shoving back in. His knot started swelling rapidly, popping in and out of Arthur’s hole on every push and pull. “Fuck, I can’t wait to be buried inside you. To fill you up and mark you.”

“Merlin!” Arthur warned, feeling himself nearing the edge. “Shit, Merlin. I’m-- going to--”

“Arthur.” It took barely another half a dozen of precise thrust against Arthur’s prostate before he came the second time, untouched, then screaming as Merlin’s knot popped in fully and locked them together. He felt Merlin pulse inside him, hot come filling him up and not stopping. Merlin ground into him as Arthur’s hole kept convulsing around the intrusion, milking Merlin’s knot.

Releasing Arthur’s legs from the position and lowering them down carefully, Merlin leaned forward to rest on his forearms, caging Arthur with his body, stealing a kiss from his open lips.

Arthur tried his best to reciprocate, but only managed to leave his lips accessible to Merlin’s licking and nibbling.

“Are you ok?” Merlin asked when he pulled away, back to his old self, all signs of the dominating alpha gone.

“Fucking brilliant,” Arthur laughed, breath hitching when the sudden movement tugged at Merlin’s knot, making them both gasp as Merlin’s knot pumped more come into Arthur. “Sorry.”

“Hmm, ‘s fine,” Merlin nuzzled his neck. “Did the fever break?”

“Yeah. All good now.”

“Good.” Nipping at his chin, Merlin lifted his head to look at Arthur solemnly. “I believe we have a few things to address.”

Sighing resignedly, because he did promise, Arthur obliged. “Yeah, ok. What do you want to know?”

“Why did you lie?”

“It wasn’t personal,” Arthur assured. “It’s not easy looking for a room-mate when you’re an omega. A male omega. Hell, nothing is easy when you’re one. And then, I met you and you seemed like a decent bloke but you were an alpha. There was no way I could have let you know if you were to live with me,” he explained, stroking down Merlin’s arm.

Merlin smiled emphatically. “I get that. I really do. But why didn’t you tell me when we became friends. When you... Arthur, you said you’ve been in love with me most of that time.”

“I wanted to. I really wanted to but I was afraid you would be mad at me. For lying to you all this time.”

“And what if we ended up together at some point? How long would you keep the lie?”

“Merlin, I had no idea you liked me--”

“Loved you.”

Arthur stuttered with his next words. “R-right. I... had no idea you.. loved me. You’re an alpha. Thought you only wanted omegas. Or, you know... omegas who you knew were omegas.”

Merlin sighed exasperatedly. “Arthur, how could you have not known? Our friends make jokes about us!”

“Really?”

“Yes! Well, about me, more precisely. And how smitten I’m with you.”

“Huh,” Arthur mused. “I never knew.”

“Because you’re an idiot.”

“Hey!” he protested. “That’s my line!”

“Could be our line,” Merlin smiled indulgently, making Arthur roll his eyes.

“Fine, you greedy little shit.”

Content, they stayed like that for some time, touching and kissing, until Merlin’s knot went down and Arthur’s skin started burning anew.

“M-Merlin... I think it’s another one.”

“Hm...” he hummed contentedly, kissing down Arthur’s chest. “I hope I can keep up with you.”

“Oh, you better.”

What was the surprise when it turned out to be Arthur who couldn’t keep up.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first ABO fic, so feedback is appreciated :)


End file.
